He left them both with their mouths open and stormed into the main building in hopes of finding one of the girls and giving them the heads-up.
“Such bullshit,” he murmured, stalking across the lobby and down toward the banquet room. It didn’t take long for him to spot Gussie. “Hey,” he said as he approached her. “You got a minute?”
She was a little breathless and harried-looking, but she forced a smile and said, “Sure. What’s up?”
He gave her the abbreviated version of what happened outside and then sighed. “I know I probably should have just kept my mouth shut, but…”
She held up a hand to stop him. “Don’t give it another thought. You handled it perfectly. We don’t allow guests to come around while we’re setting up – especially with an extenuating circumstance like this. We’re already crunched for time and we don’t need a bunch of nosy-bodies walking around asking questions.” She let out a breath and shook her head. “I swear those two are going to be the death of me.”
“And Ellie,” he said.
“I know. Poor kid. I hate that they’re making things difficult for her. But, on the plus side, she’s pretty determined to do the right thing if need be. I say let her keep avoiding them for now. With any luck, they’ll realize they’re making a huge mistake and cancel the wedding.”
Max couldn’t help but laugh. “No offense but…wouldn’t that be a bad thing for you? For business?”
Gussie shook her head and gave him an angelic smile. “Are you kidding? There are some couples I’d gladly pay to take their weddings elsewhere.”
“That bad, huh?”
“Worse,” she said and giggled. Behind them, there was a loud crashing sound and she jumped. “Thanks for the heads up, Max. I’ll spread the word around. If you wouldn’t mind, can you go and tell Ellie too? She may want to work in the kitchen for a little while.”
“Will do,” he said agreeably. He’d gladly take any chance he got to spend time with Ellie.
He found her in the far corner of the room arranging flowers. When she spotted him, she gave him a tired smile. “Hey, you.”
Without thought, he came up beside her and began helping her. She was doing a great job but he figured they could use another set of hands here too. “Kind of crazy here tonight, huh?”
“That’s an understatement. We met with the bride and her parents and the plan is that we’re leaving the arbor and tent set up outside and it’s going to be a last-minute call on whether or not the ceremony is held out there. They definitely wanted the reception moved inside but they really wanted to be married on the beach at sunset.”
“It is an amazing view out there when the weather cooperates.”
“Mmm-hmm,” she purred. “That’s my dream spot.”
She sounded a little distracted and Max had to wonder if she even knew that she’d spoken them out loud. They worked in silence for a few minutes and when she took a step back and smiled, he knew he needed to tell her what he’d originally come to tell her.
“I ran into Harry and Monica outside. They’re trying to crash the setup and see what’s going on in here.”
“Oh good grief…”
He told her about his conversation with them and was glad she could find humor in that too. “I saw Gussie on my way in and she said maybe you’d want to work in the kitchen for a little while. You know, until the threat of invasion is over.”
Ellie laughed out loud. “This is all just so ridiculous.” Then she paused. “But you know what, I could use a little something to drink and maybe Chef Ian will take pity on me and let me snack on a crab cake or two.”
With a quick kiss on her forehead, he sent her on her way.
Eight
“SO YOU HAD no other near misses over the weekend?” Max asked her Monday night.
Ellie shook her head. “Although there was a brief moment when I thought I heard Harry coming into the kitchen and I jumped into the walk-in refrigerator.”
Max laughed and poured them each a glass of wine. “How long did you stay in there?”
“Two minutes. Then my teeth started to chatter and the kitchen staff thought I’d lost my mind.” She shook her head and started to laugh too. “I think there was a collective sigh of relief at Casa Blanca when they checked out yesterday. I’m hoping that since they came for so many days, it will be a while before they come back.”
He handed her a glass and then lifted his. “Here’s to hoping.”
“I’ll drink to that.” They tapped glasses and then she took a sip of the wine. “Mmm…that’s good. And it will go perfectly with dinner.”
“I probably should have asked what you were making before I picked it up, but…”
She shook her head and turned back to the stove, lifted the lid off of the pan and stirred the contents. “I made a seafood risotto and a salad.”
“Sounds delicious.”
Looking at him over her shoulder, she smiled. “It is.” Then she winked and lowered the burner down and replaced the lid. “And for dessert I got a salted caramel cheesecake. I hope that’s something you like.”
Max put his glass down and walked around the small butcher block island toward her. With his arms around her waist, he said, “I think I’d like anything you make.”
Ellie looked up at him, looping her arms around his shoulders. “You say that now. For all you know, I’m a terrible cook.”
He shook his head. “Smells too good in here.”
“I did pick up the cheesecake in Naples today. They have a great bakery I always go to.”
“I don’t see a problem with that.”
“Well…I know a lot of people enjoy a complete homemade meal. I just happen to know my strengths.”
“And that’s a good thing,” he agreed.
Ellie took a step back and picked up her wine glass again because it would be far too easy to stay wrapped around Max and forget about dinner. “What about you? How was your weekend?”
“It was good. Relaxing. I took care of some yard work on Saturday and then went to visit my parents on Sunday. Big family dinner. It’s kind of our thing. Once a month we all get together for dinner. My mom loves it. My dad says he wouldn’t mind a little more peace and quiet.”
Ellie walked around making final preparations for their dinner and listened to Max talk about his family. They all sounded so nice and sweet and it made her realize that his family helped make him into such an extraordinary man. And he seemed to really appreciate them all – which made her fall just a little bit more in love with him.
“What about you?” he asked.
“I was at work all weekend, remember?” she teased.
“Family,” he said. “I know your parents are still here on Mimosa, but what about the rest of your family? Any siblings?”
She shook her head. “Nope. Only child. And really, it’s not as bad as some people seem to think it is. I was a late-in-life baby.”
“I know you said they live here on the island still, but since you moved out do you see them often?”
“We have dinner together at least twice a week. My schedule with Barefoot Brides has kept me fairly busy but I think that’s going to get easier once I’m trained more.”
“Are you liking the job?”
“Honestly? I think I could love the job,” she began. “If this whole nonsense with Harry hadn’t started I think I’d be much further along. It’s been such a distraction and I hate it.”
“Did you tell your folks about it?”
She shook her head. “They were so upset when the whole thing happened. They’re from such a different generation and don’t understand how people can be so deceitful. In some ways I think it was harder for them than it was for me.” She paused, sighed. “I see it as a good thing. Now. The breakup. But this whole Harry getting married on Barefoot Bay? It’s bothering me more than it should.”
Max studied her for a long moment, his expression bordering on grim. “Are you still in love with him?”
Ellie couldn’t help the bark of laughter that came out and couldn’t seem to reel it in for a minute either. “In love with him? You’re joking right?”
“Well…I mean…”
Stepping in close to him, Ellie took Max’s hands in hers – loving how rough they felt and how large they were. “Max, the only feeling I have for Harry is pity. I believe he’s getting exactly what he deserves in Monica. And as much as I want to really hate him – them – I realize they did me a huge favor. Marrying him would have been a mistake and I would have been miserable. I kind of already was with him.”
He didn’t say a word but rested his forehead against hers.
“And besides, I’m very happy where I am right now,” she said softly, her gaze lifting to meet his.
“And where are you?” he asked gruffly.
“Right here. With you.” With a quick lick of her lips, she took a steadying breath. “This is exactly where I want to be, Max. From the moment I met you…I thought about this. You. Us.” She felt herself blush at the admission. “Crazy, right?”
Shaking his head slowly, Max reached up and tucked a finger under her chin. “Not crazy at all. It was the same for me. You walked into that storage shed and pretty much knocked me on my ass.”
Her eyes went wide. “Really? Because…I figured you just thought I was…you know…crazy.”
He chuckled softly. “No. Definitely not crazy. Beautiful, passionate, sexy? Yes. Crazy? No.”
Her heart was racing. If there was one thing Ellie had learned over the last several months, it was how tomorrow held no guarantees and sitting around waiting for what you wanted was highly overrated.
“Max?”
“Hmm?”
“How hungry are you?”
When she heard her own words, she almost groaned with embarrassment. That question could be taken a few different ways.
“For dinner?” he asked.
She nodded. “Uh-huh.”
A slow, sexy grin was his first response. “I think I could wait. What do you have in mind?”
Rather than answer, Ellie reached over and turned off the burner and then led Max back to her bedroom.
Dinner could definitely wait.
****
There were a million things racing through Max’s mind and yet he couldn’t form a word if his life depended on it. Ever since Ellie had invited him to dinner, he figured the night would end like this. Them. Together. In bed. But to have it be the way they started out the evening?
Never saw it coming.
They walked into her bedroom and Max saw it was all pastels and white bedding. She had framed photos around the room and it smelled of her perfume. Ellie turned and looked at him and there wasn’t an ounce of shyness – no coy or timid looks. Standing before him was a woman who wanted him as much as he wanted her.
And it was arousing as hell.
They’d been building up to this for weeks and as much as he had planned on a slow seduction, he had a feeling that wasn’t the way this was going to play out. No. This was going to be fast, frantic and repeated several times.
As if of one mind, they reached for each other and then it became a blur of senses. There was no finesse – there was no time for it. Ellie’s hands raked under his shirt and he quickly whipped it over his head right before reaching and doing the same to her top.
After that initial glimpse of white lace covering her breasts, he was lost. Beyond lost. This time the kiss was carnal – hot, deep and wet. His hands trembled slightly as they cupped her breasts – the feel of the delicate lace against the rough skin of his hands had him worrying he was going to ruin it, but Ellie sighed and pushed herself further into his hands.
“Ellie,” he growled low, his mouth traveling along the slender column of her throat. “You feel so damn good.”
In a move he never saw coming, she tugged him down on the bed with her. They gently bounced on the mattress but it did nothing to slow them down. Her denim-clad legs wrapped around him and he cursed how he’d only gotten them stripped from the waist up. Stopping to do that now meant he’d have to move away from her and that was the very last thing he wanted to do.
Ever.
With one hand on the button of her jeans, he couldn’t help but chuckle when Ellie shoved his hand away and took over.
“You,” she said breathlessly. “Your jeans. I’ve got this.”
This woman, he mused to himself. She was his every damn fantasy come to life and he couldn’t believe his incredible luck at meeting her. And being able to touch her. Kiss her.
Have her.
Within minutes they were both sighing with the sheer pleasure of full-on skin-to-skin contact. Max looked down at her and saw the sweet smile on her face – the joy, the pleasure – and knew it mirrored his own.
Sighing his name, Ellie reached up and raked a hand through his hair and then slowly guided him back down for another kiss.
And it was a long time before he came up for air.
****
“Cheesecake for dinner,” Ellie said much later. “This should always be a thing.”
Max laughed and kissed the top of her head. They were naked in her bed and sharing a slice of the decadent dessert. “I agree.”
“The risotto would have been delicious too – had we eaten it when it was done. It just looked too…dry and unappealing.”
“I’m not complaining.”
“Still…I kind of feel bad. I invited you for dinner and then I end up only feeding you cake.”
He laughed again. “And again, I’m not complaining. This is perfect. You’re perfect. This entire night has been…”
“Perfect?” she teased.
“Beyond perfect. You completely blew me away, Ellie. I was hoping this would be how our night ended.”
“Eating cheesecake in bed?”
As much as he was enjoying the silly banter, Max felt like he needed – wanted – to tell her just how much she meant to him. Finishing his last bite of cake, he placed his plate on the nightstand and sighed with contentment.
He took a minute to collect his thoughts and watched as Ellie finished her own slice of cake and put the plate aside. Then he wrapped an arm around her and tucked her in close beside him. “Thank you,” he said softly.
“That should be my line.” Ellie placed a small kiss on his chest as she snuggled up against him. “I want you to know…well…this is how I was hoping the night would end too.”
“You did?”
She nodded. “Although, I didn’t plan on attacking you before dinner. That was completely unplanned.”
“That’s good. I mean, I didn’t mind at all. I don’t know if I would have been able to sit through dinner when all I could think about was having you to myself finally.”
“We went out to dinner last week. You had me to yourself then,” she reminded him.
“That was different. That was a first date and I wasn’t going to try to take you to bed the first time we went out.”
“I would have,” she murmured.
“You would have…what? Tried to take me to bed?” he teased.
She let out a soft laugh. “I would have gone to bed with you if you tried.”
“Really?”
Shaking her head, she replied, “Really.”
“Ellie?”
“Hmm?”
“I really want to stay tonight.”
Then she sat up and straddled his lap, a sexy smile on her face. “Not to be unoriginal but…that’s good.”
His eyes widened along with his grin. “Is that right?”
She nodded. “Uh-huh. Because I really want you to stay tonight.”
Wrapping his arm around her waist, Max pulled her close.
They were done talking.
Nine
THINGS FINALLY SETTLED down and Ellie was feeling positively giddy about her life. She and Max had been together for over a month, there hadn’t been any sightings of Harry and Monica – who seemed content to simply stay in contact with
Barefoot Brides by phone – and all seemed right with the world. There was a perpetual smile on her face and it felt so damn good!
It was a Friday morning and for the first time since she started with Barefoot Brides, they only had one wedding scheduled for the weekend. They were all kinds of excited about it because it meant they’d all get at least one day off this weekend.
Sitting at her desk, Ellie was looking over the layout for the new brochures she was working on when Gussie came rushing through the door. “Emergency meeting. My office!” Jumping up, Ellie was on her feet and following her and Ari and Willow.
“What’s going on?” Willow asked, her voice laced with concern.
Gussie looked directly at Ellie and her heart sank.
They were back.
She sat up straight in her seat and looked at Gussie and then Willow and Ari. “I’m done hiding. Let them come in here. Let them see me and let them do whatever it is or say whatever it is they feel the need to do and say. I’m done hiding.” She paused and felt…confident. “I really shouldn’t have been hiding at all from the get-go. I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“We know that,” Ari said softly. “But…we totally understand if you’d rather just…you know…stay out of sight. We’ll deal with them.” Then she looked over at Gussie. “Why are they even here? Were we expecting them?”
“They booked another weekend trip. Last minute, they claimed when I saw them out in the lobby.” Gussie rolled her eyes. “We’ve had some overbearing couples in our years in business, but these two are really taking the cake.”
“What else did they say?” Willow asked. “The last I spoke with Monica, we were set with just about everything. There wasn’t going to be any reason for her to be here until the week of the wedding which is still…six weeks out.”
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